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Chosen But Free Norman Geisler Analysis

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INTRODUCTION An argument that is older than the languages in which it is presently conversed is that of the tension that exists between the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. This tension is particularly strong when discussing the role that each doctrine plays in the salvation of the human soul as well as the life lived by that soul. The purpose of this paper is to ascertain whether a harmony can be achieved through biblical examination and logical reasoning.

CLARIFYING THE TENSION OF RECONCILIATION

Before seeking whether a reconciliation of the sovereignty of God and the free will of man is possible it is necessary to establish a definition of each. It is also necessary to acknowledge the divergent views of what constitutes …show more content…

He adopted what he calls the self-determination view described above. Geisler examined biblical passages that he believed supported both the sovereignty of God and the free will of man. Throughout his book he continued to point to these and other passages showing simply that Scripture indicated that events and situations were both intended or chosen by God and also the people involved. Some consider the view unable to reconcile the debate and for good reason. Part of the difficulty of Geisler’s view is that he operates from the same specific definition of sovereignty that the determinists do, that is, that sovereignty is defined as God’s full and complete application of his omniscience and omnipotence upon the universe. The problem in particular is the application of God’s omniscience and omnipotence upon the person thereby removing the possibility of a free response to the offer of salvation. This application is known as the predestination of the saints and finds its support in Romans 8:29-30 and Ephesians 1:5, …show more content…

There is also often a connection made between sovereignty and predestination to the extent that the two are inseparably linked and affected by one another. It is in defining sovereignty to include the application of authority and power, as well as tying it inseparably to predestination, that a tension becomes evident. For by defining sovereignty in this way there would no longer exist a way for man to make free choices regarding God’s offer of salvation and life in general. This view sovereignty finds its only agreement in the freedom position known as theistic determinism. This position states that all actions, including human behavior, are a result of God’s direct intervening and controlling of all things. This is an important distinction to make, as theistic determinists are the major advocates of free will being non-existent. Jonathan Edwards, one of the better-known theistic determinists, wrote extensively supporting this

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